Brake beam



Aug; 2 1939- c. R. BUSCH 2,170,120

BRAKE BEAM Original Filed March 15, 1937 6, 44 5 56 I HEW" a? Tlj 4 I I lNVENTOR (aZ/es ffiuor% ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES BRAKE BEAM Charles R. Busch, Orange, N. J., assignor to Buffalo Brake Beam Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application March 15, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application Decem ber 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,722

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to brake beams such as disclosed in my previous application Serial No. 130,881, filed March 15, 1937, of which application this is a division.

An object of the invention is to preferably provide a brake beam of the truss type which can be cast, forged, rolled or built up, so as to have its greatest transverse dimension at its center, the beam being cambered and with a strut member tying the compression member and tension member together. The strut member may be cast integrally with the compression and tension members. Preferably the beam has a regular oblong section at each of its outer ends to interlock with guides on the truck side frames and still be capable of movement so as to apply or release braking pressure as disclosed in said parent application.

A specific object of the present invention preferably is to provide a compression member and a tension member each of which is substantially T-shaped in cross-section, the flanges at the back of the compression member enabling the beam to have its greatest vertical strength at its back, with the resulting advantage that, by constructing the beam with its greatest strength at its back, that is, at the back or outer side of the compression member, and considering that the strut is located as it is, the neutral axis of the beam therefore is located in the region of added strength, thus overcoming the buckling or twisting of the beam when in service.

These being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features,

of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described andthen claimed with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. 1 is a plan showing a little over one-half of the improved brake beam, as it would appear in its inclined using position, as in said parent application, and showing fragments of a side frame and car wheel;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through parts shown in Fig. 1 and indicating a bolster in broken lines;

-Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the beam, the tension member shown as broken away.

In Fig. I a portion l5 of one of the preferred side frames of the truck is illustrated, the same having a supporting bracket or seat 23, for supporting a spring plank if desired, together with the cushioning springs.

The usual type of brake beam operating mechanism may be employed, the same including alive lever 21, a brake lever operating rod 30 and a rod 3| for connecting the lever 21 with a dead lever. A bolster is shown in broken lines having an open- 6 ing 32 through which the connecting rod 3| is adapted to pass.

It is preferred that the improved brake beam shown, described and claimed herein be guided in its movements upon the side frames rather than to support the beam by the usual brake hangers which are attached to the brake shoe heads. A little more than one-half of the length of the brake beam is shown in Fig. 1 as the opposite end should be of similar construction to the 15 construction shown in full lines. Each brake beam is preferably of truss construction, comprising a compression member 35, 36 of T-shape in cross-section. The back or head of the T is provided by the pair of substantially vertical flanges 36 and the flange 35 extends forwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal plane. Thereby the greatest vertical strength of the beam is at the back of the beam. The beam also comprises atension member 31, 38, preferably also of substantially T-shape in cross-section, the head portion or heavier portion 31 thereof being at the front of the beam and the flange or Web 38 of the tension member extending inwardly towards the flange 35 of the compression member, both of the flanges 35 and 38 lying in substantially the same plane. Preferably the said members of the brake beam are formed so as to make the beam an integral unit, to include the strut 39 which is arranged transversely of the mid-length of the beam to maintain the tension member and the camber of the compression member.

When the beam is constructed as shown and described, the strut 39 may be longer than if it merely extended to the compression member, inasmuch as it not only extends across the flange 35, but up to the head flanges 36, so that the strut and the compression member mutually reinforce each other at such points. This same function applies between the strut and the tension member, as that is also preferably T-shape in cross-section.

The strut comprises opposite side walls 39 which define a longitudinal slot 40 therein which is open along the top of the slot, and the strut is in- 50 clined, laterally to conform to the required inclination and position of the live lever 21 or the dead lever as the case may be. The hollow in terior of the strut is preferably partially closed for a. desirable distance lengthwise of the strut 55 and'detaining the lower end of said lever in case of failure of .the pivotal connection.

As indicated in Fig. 1 each of the flanges 36 of the brake beam, have terminals 43 which are preferably located opposite the flange of the car wheel 20, so as to permit the application of and removal of abrake head inwardly of the beam. Each end of the beam is terminated by preferably a flat end portion, such as 44, which extend from points just beyond the terminals 43 "of the flange 36.

As the beam is preferably cast or forged, each end portion 44 is preferably oblong in cross-section up to the end surface 45 of the beam. As indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1 end surface 45 is preferably slightly curved outwardly in an arc of large radius for the reason that it is preferred that the beam be guided upon each truck side frame IE, to which end the side frame is provided with inwardly projecting guide-flange 4'! which with a corresponding flange, not illustrated, are adapted to provide a guide recess along the inner side of the side frame. Such means is preferably arranged and adapted as disclosed in aforesaid application Serial No. 130,881 for the purpose of guiding the brake beam in an inclined plane to and from the car wheels.

The mass of metal in each such end portion 44 preferably is quite substantial inasmuch as the same must. absorb the great thrust imparted thereto in applying a brake shoe to a car wheel when the brake is applied. Preferably the brake shoes are applied by the brake beam. to the car wheels at such an angle that the plane of movement will intersect the axis of a car wheel axle.

The brake head 48 preferably has a jaw or bracket which may be applied and rigidly secured to the extended end 44 of the brake beam at a point close to the compression and tension members, in which position the brake head is preferably riveted to the beam. When the brake head 48 is applied in that position, the end portion 44 of the beam may extend as shown in Fig. 1 for a distance beyond the brake head with a view to guiding the brake beam upon the side frame if desired.

It will be noted that the ends of the compression and tension members are integrally united by relatively wide end portions 44 of the beam, and that the upper and lower surfaces of the end portions 44 are flat throughout and substantially parallel, they being continued from and in the same planes as the upper and lower surfaces of .the head portion 31 of the tension member, as clearly disclosed in said application Serial No. 130,881. By continuingthe upper and lower surfaces of the head portion 31 and the end portions 44 into each other, it is apparent that the jaw of the brake head48 may be applied to the head 31 of the tension member and slid outwardly therealong and onto the flattened end portion 44, and the brake head be there secured, without removing the beam from the truck. In order for the brake head to clear the flange 20' of the adjacent car Wheel the brake shoe 49 is not placed in position until the brake head has been secured to the end portion 44. It is also clear that the 2,170,120- by means of a bottom closure element 4| which brake head may be removed by reversing the operation. Preferably before securing the brake beam 48 in position suitable wear plates or surfaces are applied to each extended end 44 with a view to taking up wear if the brake beam is guided upon a side frame. Preferably the brake shoe 49 is so set at an -angle on the brake head that'its wear surface will correspond with'the angle of inclination of the bevel 22 of the car wheel, as previously disclosed by me, and in such case the faces of the heads would be laterally inclined inwardly.

As the brake lever 21 and the dead lever, not shown, have a floating movement and as the beam, if positively guided, controls such levers instead of the levers controlling the beam, fric-- swinging movement due to the use of the ordinary together to form a unit, the tension member being substantially T-shape in cross section to provide a thicker head portion along the front thereof, the ends of the two members being integrally united by relatively wide end portions of the beam, and the upper and lower surfaces of the end portions being fiat throughout and substantially parallel, and continued from and in the same planes as the upper and lower surfaces of said head of the tension member.

2. A truss brake beam, including a compression member, a tension member and a strut connecting the two members, each member being T-' shaped in cross section, and their flanges formed by the stems or legs of each T extending toward each other, the strut being hollow for accepting and pivoting a brake lever, and a trap integral with the strut for catching the lever should it become disengaged, such trap located between said flanges and below their plane, reinforcing the strut and partially closing the hollow interior.

3. A truss brake beam, including a compression member, a tension member and a strut connecting the two members, the tension member being substantially T-shape in cross section to provide a thicker head portion along the front thereof, the ends of the two members being integrally united by relatively wide end portions of the beam, and the upper and lower surfaces of the end portions being fiat throughout and substantially parallel, and continued from'and in the same planes as the upperand lower surfaces of said head of the tension member.

. CHARLES R. BUSCH. 

